asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the effect of the system of threshold prices in operation in the European Economic Community on British farmers who have not hitherto enjoyed this protection, if the United Kingdom joins the European Economic Community.

This system will give British producers preference in the markets of the enlarged Community over imports from third countries.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he intends to revise the regulations concerning antibiotics in animal feeds, which he introduced following the Swann Report, in order to bring Great Britain into line with the practice in Common Market countries.

The regulations are made by the United Kingdom Health Ministers. We are at present discussing the position with the Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the main agricultural matters still to be discussed with the European Economic Community before 1st January, 1973, should Great Britain decide to join.

The main outstanding questions relate to the common fisheries policy, animal health, the certification of seeds, the use of antibiotics in animal feed and food standards.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what opportunities for increased sales of cheese he estimates will be available to British cheese producers if Great Britain joins the European Economic Community.

This opportunity should be good.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further representations he has received from the National Farmers' Union regarding Great Britain's possible entry into the European Economic Community.

The President of the National Farmers' Union wrote to my right hon. Friend on 18th June about his Council's resolution on the negotiations, and he replied on 8th July.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what undertaking he has now received from the European Economic Community that, should Great Britain enter, no changes in the production grants at present payable to British farmers will be sought by the European Economic Community before 1977.

There is no requirement to make any change on entry. Production grants are subject to review in the light of economic circumstances whether or not we join the Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the increase in the imports of seedless hops that would be necessary if the present European Commissions' draft regulations on hops were applied to this country.

It is too soon to make any assessment. We do not know what the result will be of the Hops Marketing Board's growing trials for seedless hops; nor do we know how the draft regulations, if they are approved by the Council of Ministers, might be applied here. All new Community legislation will be subject to discussion of any adaptations that may be needed by applicant countries.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions his officials have had with the Hop Merchants' Association with respect to the draft regulations on hops being proposed by the officials of the European Commission to the Council of Ministers.

My Department's officials have met representatives of the Hop Merchant's Association to discuss the E.E.C.'s draft hop regulations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average price of hops obtaining in the United Kingdom and in the countries of the European Economic Community for the last three years for which figures are available.

The average producer prices of hops in the United Kingdom and West Germany in the years 1966–67, 1967–68 and 1968–69 are given below : information in respect of other Community countries is not available :

	£ per metric ton
Country	1966–67	1967–68	1968–69
United Kingdom*	703·05	638·46	643·53
West Germany†	996·81	865·78	785·18
Source :
* Hops Marketing Board.
† Statistisches Jahrbuch 1970.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the prices of meat and dairy produce as at April, 1971, in each of the countries of the Six and Great Britain.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my right hon. Friend the Member for Thirsk and Malton (Sir R. Turton) on 28th June in which I explained that the official price quotations for the various countries concerned are not in a form which enable accurate comparisons to be made.—[Vol. 820, c. 44.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what basis the estimate of food price rises if Great Britain enters the Common Market was arrived at in the Government's White Paper; and what discussions took place with the National Farmers Union, the Agricultural Workers Union, and other interested parties in forming an assessment of these price rises.

The estimated increase in retail food prices takes account of the effect on our current first-hand prices of adopting the existing price regime under the common agricultural policy; of related changes in the cost of marketing, processing and distribution; and of likely developments in the patterns of United Kingdom consumption and production. In making these estimates, I have taken account of discussions which have been held with the trades concerned.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent the imposition of the new and increased meat import duties, beginning on 5th July, 1971, will further in crease the price of meats in particular and food in general.

The levy scheme for beef is not expected to have any effect on retail prices this year. Market forces will determine the effect of the new duty on lamb—which, at less than ½ per lb. is currently equivalent to about 2 per cent. of average retail prices. The combined effect of these new schemes on the food index in the period to July, 1972 is put at less than one quarter of 1 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consult with the Secretary of State for Defence about an increase in the number of Her Majesty's ships, aircraft and helicopters available for fishing protection purposes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the measures taken for fisheries protection; and whether he has plans for strengthening this service.

Fisheries protection is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence, who is keeping under review the adequacy of the resources available for this purpose. My Department maintains continuous contact with his to ensure that these resources are deployed to the best advantage.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the average import and retail prices of grapefruit at the last available date; and how they compare with those of 12 months previously.

There is no official record of import or retail prices of grapefruit. Average wholesale prices per cwt. at 1st June, 1970 and 1971 were £4·63 and £6·72.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the increase in the wholesale prices of food since 18th June, 1970; and whether he will make a statement

There is no single measure of changes in the wholesale prices of all food.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the percentage increase between 1964 and the first half of 1970 in international food prices as calculated by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, details of which are in his possession, and in United Kingdom food prices, and the corresponding figures in each case between the first half of 1970 and the first quarter of 1971.

Between 1964 and the first half of 1970 the National Institute of Economic and Social Research Index of Food Export Prices of Primary Producers fell by 1·9 per cent., while the United Kingdom Index of Retail Food Prices rose by 28·6 per cent. Between the first half of 1970 and the first quarter of 1971 the Food Export Prices Index rose by 7·4 per cent. while the United Kingdom Index of Retail Food Prices rose by 6·8 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further advice he now proposes to offer housewives, in view of the trend in food prices since he took office.

Any advice I give housewives will continue to be appropriate to the time and the circumstances.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the fall in food prices following the reduction in selective employment tax.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Mr. Kenneth Marks) and others earlier today.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will introduce legislation to implement the recommendations made by the Bledisloe Committee.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he now intends to introduce legislation based on the Bledisloe Report, Command Paper No. 1350.

I hope that it will be possible for legislation on this subject to be introduced in the reasonably near future.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to lay before Parliament the revised Codes of Practice for the Welfare of Livestock, in accordance with the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1968.

As my right hon. Friend stated in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Woking (Mr. Onslow) on 2nd July, the proposed amendments to the Codes of Practice were laid before Parliament on that day.—[Vol. 820, c. 210.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he is considering to include the Brambell space allowances for poultry in the revised codes of practice for the welfare of livestock.

I would direct the hon. Member's attention to the proposals for alterations in the livestock welfare codes which my right hon. Friend laid before Parliament on 2nd July. They contain no such changes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his latest estimate in tonnage of the 1971 wheat harvest, in view of the serious spread of yellow rust disease; what advice is being given to farmers to stop its spread; and what research is currently taking place.

It is too soon to estimate the tonnage of the 1971 wheat harvest. I doubt if yellow rust disease will have a significant effect on yields in the country as a whole. Once an outbreak occurs little can be done to stop its immediate spread. Research is concentrated on the disease characteristics and the breeding of resistant varieties.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimated expenditure for 1971–72 on non-departmental research projects; what requirements he imposes regarding publication and consultation before publication; whether deletions or alterations have been required or permission to publish refused in respect of all or part of any project whose results were submitted to his Department during the last 10 years; and to what extent he controls entry for research purposes to depart-mentally-controlled institutions.

Approximately £850,000.Publication of any commissioned research requires departmental authority. The results of such work are also subject to Crown copyright. Each case is dealt with on its merits. It would not be possible without a great deal of work to give details of action taken with regard to such projects carried out over the past 10 years.If entry to an establishment is necessary to the research project, this will normally be granted.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in view of the fact that it costs more for an invalid in a wheelchair to enter Kew Gardens than for a single person who is not so incommoded, if he will take steps to equalise the charge.

Yes. I have arranged for the charge to be equalised.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy with regard to the maximum original paid tax rate to be imposed on an average-paid manual worker taking into account the various schemes affecting him currently planned by various Departments.

Departments responsible for policies which are designed to give help on a selective basis consult about any implications for the marginal net return on increased gross earnings. The proposal that many families on average earnings will benefit from the recently announced rent rebate scheme stems from such consultations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations have been made to him by the North-East Development Council about the siting of the value-added tax office at Southend; and what reply he has sent.

The Council has asked that this office should be in the North-East. I have explained in reply that there were strong operational reasons for locating it in Southend, alongside existing dispersed staff of the Customs and Excise Department.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much is currently invested in 3·5 per cent. 1914–18 War Loan; and whether he will consider commencing repayment to original holders who are now facing hardship and to all original holders who have attained the age of 90, reducing the repayment age by five years upon the repayment of each 10 per cent. of the remaining principal held in the names of original holders.

I assume that the Question relates to 3½ per cent. War Loan, issued in 1932, of which £1,909 million remains outstanding. I have great sympathy for original holders of War Loan, particularly those who are now facing hardship, and I have considered a number of schemes similar to the one suggested. But I have been forced to the conclusion that any scheme of partial redemption which involved different treatment of different categories of shareholders would be inequitable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the progress of the implementation of his policies directed towards reducing the rise in prices.

I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend said in the debate today.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will exempt share fishermen from the provisions of (Commencement No. 3) Order 1971 of the National Insurance Act, 1966.

I have no statement to make at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the amount of temporary accommodation currently provided, irrespective of actual use by numbers of families, by each county council in England and Wales specifically at the initial stage of reception for whole families, including fathers and elder children and, as a separate figure, exclusively for mothers and younger children.

This information is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a revised and up-to-date edition of A Guide to Social Security.

Yes. A new edition of half a million, taking account of new and increased benefits, will be available in the autumn free of charge to voluntary organisations and welfare departments of local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services with reference to the total of net immigration of persons of new Commonwealth ethnic origin between 1st July, 1966, and 1st July, 1970, in Table 2 of Appendix K to the Registrar General's Quarterly Return No. 488, what figures were included therein for persons holding United Kingdom passports between 1st July, 1966, and 30th June, 1967, and for persons of new Commonwealth ethnic origin holding United Kingdom passports between 1st July, 1967, and 29th February, 1968.

The Registrar General did not distinguish in his estimate of net immigration between the ethnic origin of one category of United Kingdom passport holders and another before 1st July, 1967.The best estimate he can now make on the incomplete evidence available is that in the period 1st July, 1966, to 30th June, 1967, the net immigration of persons of New Commonwealth ethnic origin holding United Kingdom passports was no more than 5,000 in round figures. In the period 1st July, 1967, to 29th February, 1968, the net immigration of such persons is estimated to have been of the order of 20,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the number of people who are totally deaf, unable to hear without a hearing aid, and with a lesser degree of hearing loss, respectively.

The information on which to base satisfactory estimates is not available, but the local surveys we expect to be carried out under Section 1 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act should provide useful information about the incidence of hearing impairment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will request local authorities to pay special attention to those going deaf because of old age and to provide rehabilitation and advice on hearing aids;

Local authorities are aware of the special needs of deaf people, including the elderly deaf, and they are regularly advised and assisted by the professional staff of my Department. They are in particular being encouraged to second qualified social workers for training in work with the deaf.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of social workers are trained in manual communication with the deaf.

The precise information is not available, but at 30th September, 1970, about 100 or 3 per cent. (whole-time equivalent) of social workers in England employed by local authorities, or by voluntary agencies providing services on their behalf, held a qualification in work with the deaf.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of local authorities employ social workers trained in manual communication for the deaf.

According to the information available to me about a third of the local authorities in England employ social work staff able to communicate manually; the majority of the other authorities provide services for the deaf through the agency of voluntary organisations employing such staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the waiting list for admission to hospital in the Macclesfield constituency, broken down by each main category, at the latest convenient date.

Hospital statistics cannot be related directly to constituency boundaries, but patients from the Macclesfield constituency would normally be referred to hospitals of the East Cheshire Hospital Management Committee. The waiting list for this group at 31st December, 1970, was as follows :

Specialty	Number of patients waiting admission
General surgery	1,012
Traumatic and orthopaedic surgery	166
Ear, Nose and Throat	280
Gynaecology	138
Neurosurgery	6
Ophthalmology	6
General Medicine	8
Geriatrics	13
Dentistry	46
Total	1,675

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he would list all the current models of hearing aids, giving for each aid the type of user, the approximate number in current use and the current unit cost to the Department, respectively.

The current models of hearing aids available under the National Health Service and the types of user are as follows :

OL56—Standard body-worn aid for the majority of patients.

OL57—Standard body-worn aid, with loop induction for school-children.

OL58—High power, bone or air conduction, body-worn aid, with loop induction, for severely deaf patients.

OL63—High power, air conduction, body-worn aid, with tone control, for severely deaf patients.

OL67—Experimental head-worn aid, with loop induction for school-children over the age of 7.

The number of each aid in current use is not known, but it is estimated that some 600,000 National Health Service aids are in service in England and Wales. It is not the practice to disclose the prices of commodities obtained under Government contracts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Social Services if he will list, for each of the previous five years, the number of hearing aids issued, the number of hearing aids issued to people over 60 years of age, the cost of all National Health Service aids and the total cost of the hearing aid service, respectively.

The number of hearing aids, including replacements, issued to patients in England and Wales in each of the last 5 years is as follows :

1966	230,604
1967	225,977
1968	233,975
1969	250,466
1970	255,258

No separate record is maintained of the number of aids issued to people over 60 years of age.Records are not maintained in a form which enables the cost of the hearing aid service to be identified separately within the total cost of ear, nose and throat services.The approximate value of contracts placed for hearing aids, spares and components required in England and Wales in each of the last 5 years is :

	£
1966	427,000
1967	419,000
1968	622,000
1969	809,000
1970	783,000

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimates his Department has made of the proportion of people who possess a National Health Service hearing aid and do not make regular use of it.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps his Department is taking to bring the size and weight of National Health Service aids into line with modern hearing aid practice taking advantage of present trends to miniaturisation; and when can such aids be expected.

The size and weight of the present National Health Service aids are not out of line with those aids of comparable types available commercially. Although miniaturised headworn aids have some advantages, chiefly cosmetic, they are not technically capable of suiting the full range of clinical conditions for which bodyworn aids are prescribed, and they are more costly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of the behind the ear hearing aids OL67 have been issued to children.

Approximately 16,500.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many adolescents have had to stop using the OL67 because it had worn out and because the regulations forbid replacement when they have left school;(2) what is the estimated annual cost of continuing to supply the OL67 to people who started wearing it at school.

This information is not available but OL67 became available two years ago and has a potential life far exceeding this period and it is proving reliable in service. In these circumstances a meaningful estimate of the cost of changing the present arrangements cannot be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what estimates have been made of the approximate number of people likely to request a National Health Service behind the ear hearing aid if one were freely available; and what would be the unit cost of such an aid;(2) what is the estimated additional cost to the hearing aid service of making a behind the ear hearing aid freely available.

Until the study of the technical and medical implications of a post-aural aid, to which I referred in my reply to a supplementary question from the hon. Member for Willesden, West (Mr. Pavitt) on 22nd June, 1971. is further advanced, it is not proposed to estimate costs and likely demand.—[Vol. 819, c. 1173.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the occasions during the past five years when there has been a shortage of any hearing aid or its parts, giving details of models involved, the reason for shortage and the duration of shortage.

Shortages affecting models OL57, OL58 and OL63 have occurred from time to time during the past 5 years owing to various production difficulties, but it would not now be practicable to provide details of each occurrence. It is expected that the considerable improvement in supply of these aids achieved in recent months will be maintained.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research his Department is supporting or considering to produce a hearing aid for those deaf persons for whom no aids of current design are of any value.

A study is being made of the possible application of frequency transposition to assist certain categories of the severely deaf who obtain little or no benefit from present aids.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate has been made of the number of deaf people who are unable to benefit from National Health Service aids but do so from commercial aids.

No estimate has been made. All but a very small minority of the deaf population should be able to obtain benefit from within the present range of National Health Service aids.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of the organisations and individuals who have been consulted regarding Section 24 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act.

No, but between 90 and 100 individuals and organisations have so far been consulted in connection with Section 24 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act. Further consultations have still to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many departmental officials have been engaged in consultations on Section 24 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act.

Four officers from the Department have so far been engaged in consultations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the date on which he will report to the Medical Research Council concerning Section 24 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act.

The report to the Medical Research Council is expected to be ready in the late autumn of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will have further discussions with the medical profession with a view to extending the definition of the term chronic sick for the purpose of exemption from prescription charges.

I do not consider that further discussions would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give for the latest most convenient stated date the total number of employees in the National Health Service; to what extent there is a shortfall of staff; and to what extent he estimates this is due to the level of wages and conditions of employment.

In terms of whole-time equivalents approximately 730,000 including the staffs of the special hospitals but not practitioners under contracts for services. The filling of vacancies is a matter for employing authorities and details are not held centrally. Individual pay agreements reached by the Whitley Councils, on which the employing authorities are represented, take into account identified staffing needs of the Service and other relevant considerations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether a German war disabled ex-Serviceman who enters Great Britain to work on a non-discriminating basis as provided in the European Economic Community regulations will, under the social security rules, be entitled to claim full benefits including his war disablement pension; whether this will come from British or German social security funds; and what his position will be regarding other benefits.

The Common Market social security regulations for migrant workers specifically exclude from their scope benefit schemes for the victims of war. The payment of a German war disablement pension in this country would therefore be a matter entirely for the German authorities. If a German took up employment here any insurance he might have under the German social security schemes would count, as under the present social security bilateral agreements between the two countries, towards the qualifying conditions for the corresponding British benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of comparative wage and salary rates and conditions of service for health workers in Great Britain and the members of the European Economic Community.

The detailed information that would be required for such a comparison is not readily available, and in any case would require extensive qualification to be in any way meaningful.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will cause an immediate investigation to be made to ascertain why Mr. S. Prior, of Stratford, London E.15, who was 70 years of age on 28th April last, has not yet received his retirement pension although he has repeatedly sent in forms, answered letters, sent off cards to both the local Stratford office and his headquarters under reference No. ZA 82/98/246 and whether he will arrange to pay this pension, with the arrears, forthwith.

I am afraid there have been errors and delays in dealing with this claim, for which I apologise. The matter is being investigated, but in the meantime interim payments are being made pending final settlement. I have written to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if a decision has been reached on whether the Government Actuary should carry out a further survey of occupational pension schemes.

Yes. The Government Actuary is arranging to conduct a new survey later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in the case of retirement pensioners in receipt of supplementary benefits, he will recommend that the Supplementary Benefits Commission cover the cost of central heating where this is provided automatically, irrespective of the wishes of the pensioner.

Up to £1 a week of a charge for central heating incurred by a supplementary pensioner is attributed to the basic scale rate. The Supplementary Benefits Commission makes a special addition to cover the excess of the charge over £1 to the extent that it cannot be met from the long-term addition of 50p a week or any disregarded income the pensioner may have.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the dates when the last two increases in retirement pensions were made and the percentage or cash increases made, taking the purchasing value of this pension as equalling 100 on the first date, after allowing for the depreciation in the purchasing value of the £ sterling; by how much for each month since then the purchasing value of these pensions has increased or depreciated; and on the basis of the average monthly fall during the past 12 months, what he estimates the pension will be worth in September, 1971.

The last two increases in retirement pension occurred on 26th October, 1967, and 3rd November, 1969. In October, 1967, the pension rate for a single person rose fom £4·00 to £4·50—a 12·5 per cent. increase. In November, 1969, it rose from £4·50 to £5·00—an 11·1 per cent. increase. In September, 1971, the pension will rise from £5·00 to £6·00 —a 20 per cent. increase.The table below shows the movement month by month of the purchasing power of the pension from October, 1967, taking the £4·50 rate at that date as equal to 100. The relative value of the £6 pension to be introduced in September, 1971, cannot be forecast in advance, but we are confident it will then be worth more than the pensions at the last up-ratings in October, 1967, and November, 1969.

Index of purchasing power of standard rate Retirement Pension for single person
October, 1967 = 100
	Index
1967
October (new rate £4·50)	100·0
November	99·4
December	98·8
1968
January	98·4
February	98·0
March	97·6
April	95·9
May	95·8
June	95·5
July	95·4
August	95·2
September	95·2
October	94·7
November	94·5
December	93·2
1969
January	92·7
February	92·2
March	91·9
April	90·9
May	91·0
June	90·6
July	90·6
August	90·8
September	90·5
October	89·9
November	89·7
1969
November (new rate £5·00)	99·6
December	99·0
1970
January	98·2
February	97·7
March	97·1
April	95·6
May	95·3
June	95·1
July	94·4
August	94·5
September	94·0
October	93·0
November	92·4
December	91·7
1971
January	90·5
February	90·0
March	89·3
April	87·4
May	86·8

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by how much the cost of living has now risen since 18th June, 1970.

The General Index of Retail Prices rose from 139·9 at 16th June, 1970, to 153·2 at 18th May, 1971; that is, by 13·3 points or 9·5 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the organisations with which he has had discussions about possible Amendments to the Industrial Relations Bill since that Measure passed its final House of Commons stages.

There have been discussions or correspondence with a large number of organisations, but it is the normal practice for details of such consultations to be treated as confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give for the Nottinghamshire area the numbers of registered unemployed supervisory and managerial grades, executive and professional categories and of engineering technicians and engineering designers, for each quarter since 1969.

Information is not available in this precise form. The following table shows the numbers of wholly unemployed men registered at employment exchanges in Nottinghamshire for employment in administrative, executive, professional, technical and scientific occupations:

March, 1969	366
June, 1969	348
September, 1969	434
December, 1969	411
March, 1970	424
June, 1970	410
September, 1970	394
December, 1970	388
March, 1971	403
June, 1971	505

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what consideration he has given to opening a Government training centre to retrain redundant workers in South-East Cheshire.

The training needs of South-East Cheshire are already well served by the new centre which was opened at Stoke-on-Trent last October, and there are no plans at present for an additional centre in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the average earnings of male manual employees in the Macclesfield constituency at the last convenient date.

I regret that analysis of earnings is not available for constituencies and other areas smaller than the standard sub-divisions of regions of England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average percentage increase in hourly wage rates and earnings over the last six months, or the latest available period, in, respectively, the United Kingdom and Scotland; and what are the corresponding figures for six-month periods over the last five years.

Following is the information available:

PERCENTAGE INCREASES, MALE MANUAL WORKERS, 21 YEARS AND OVER
Hourly Wage Rates		Average Hourly Earnings
Six months ending	United Kingdom	United Kingdom	Scotland
October, 1966	1·2	1·1	1·7
April, 1967	1·4	1·2	1·0
October, 1967	4·0	3·7	4·9
April, 1968	3·8	4·1	4·0
October, 1968	1·6	2·9	2·8
April, 1969	3·5	4·0	4·6
October, 1969	2·0	3·6	3·6
April, 1970	6·5	*	*
October, 1970	4·8	*	*
April, 1971	7·1	*	*
Increase October, 1969 to October, 1970	11·6	14·9	14·2
* Not available.
Separate indices of wage rates are not calculated for Scotland.
The regular inquiry into earnings and hours, formerly held each April and October, became an annual (October) inquiry as from October, 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he has in mind to improve and extend facilities for industrial retraining.

I am mounting a special drive to increase the number of unemployed workers being retrained under the Government's Vocational Training Scheme. The following steps are being taken :

(i) The level of allowances to adult trainees will be raised substantially in September. The rate of allowance for a single man will be increased from £8.25 to £11 a week giving a maximum lead of £5 over unemployment benefit. There will be appropriate increases in the higher rates payable to men with dependants.

(ii) I have now authorised the building of a further three new Government Training Centres—on the eastern side of Birmingham, in North Manchester and in the Chesterfield/Mansfield/Alfreton area—as part of the expansion programme announced last November.

(iii) I am approaching employers in every region to increase the retraining of unemployed workers, at Government expense, in spare capacity in employers' establishments.

(iv) My right hon. Friends and I are consulting with the educational interests concerned about the promotion of more extensive training for the unemployed, including for the first time those under 18, in colleges of further education.

(v) I am taking new initiatives to publicise these improved allowances and facilities as well as the advantages of retraining in order to bring all Government Training Centres up to full capacity and to make use of other available resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reply he has sent to the petition sent to him by the employees of General Motors (Scotland) Limited, Newhouse, on unemployment; and if he will make a statement.

The petition asked the Government to supply the necessary finance to keep the shipyards on the Upper Clyde open and safeguard the jobs of employees. The reply sent explained the Government's aims and the action taken. I hope to make a statement on shipbuilding on the Upper Clyde as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will institute an interdepartmental survey of the functions and terms of reference of Government-appointed directors on the boards of joint stock companies, with particular regard to ensuring that there is no conflict of interest arising from their responsibilities to the Government and any other directorships held.

No. The rôle of Government-appointed directors was outlined in the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Bedford (Mr. Skeet) on 28th June. The Government take into account the possibility of conflicts of interest arising when considering appointments.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied with the methods employed by the various Departments of State in analysing and acting upon the reports which they receive from Government directors on the boards of joint stock companies; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, but we are always seeking to improve our working methods.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the estimated cost so far of the public inquiry held at Mold, Flintshire, to consider the building of a nuclear power station at Connah's Quay, Flint shire.

There will be no net charge on public funds because, under the normal arrangements for these inquiries, the costs (other than objectors' costs) are borne by the C.E.G.B.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has made for the future development of the United Kingdom aerospace and civil aviation industries, in the event of the United Kingdom not joining the Common Market.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assurances were sought from the European Econo- mic Community regarding the future of the British aerospace industry and United Kingdom civil aviation; and what agreements were arrived at regarding the development of these industries, in the event of United Kingdom membership.

Neither industry required special consideration in the entry negotiations and no plans have been developed against the event of the United Kingdom not joining the Common Market. While I am convinced both that progressively closer relations between British and European aerospace industries is very much in the mutual interests of the firms and the countries concerned and that British entry into the E.E.C. will greatly enlarge the opportunities for forging such closer ties, I am equally satisfied that they can only be effectively achieved on the basis of negotiation between firms and countries involved as the opportunities arise. The United Kingdom already plays a full part in the work of the European Civil Aviation Conference, and this consultative machinery is unlikely to be greatly affected by the United Kingdom entering or not entering the E.E.C.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further information he has supplied to the Congress of the United States of America about the RB211-Lockheed 10.11 project.

With due regard for the need to preserve an ordinary degree of commercial confidence, I have kept the House fully informed about the process of negotiations on the RB211 engine for the Lockheed TriStar. As the House is already aware, it is not my intention to give any information to Congress which has not been given to the House.Some information which had, I understand, been tabled in confidence by the U.S. Administration and Lockheed has recently been published in the "Congressional Record". Of this material the item which directly concerns the United Kingdom is the text of Article 40 of the new contract negotiated between Rolls Royce (1971) Ltd. and Lockheed to give effect to the arrangements which I announced to the House on 10th May. The text of this Article is reproduced below.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many inquiries were made by industrialists concerning industrial sites in Wales in the first and second quarters of 1971; and how this compares with the figure for the previous three years.

The inquiries were as follows :

	1968	1969	1970	1971
First quarter	159	132	99	70
Second quarter	138	134	117	72

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will designate the Macclesfield constituency an intermediate area.

The circumstances of Macclesfield, with unemployment normally below the national average, are much more favourable than in the assisted areas and do not justify intermediate area status.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is aware of the dangerous conditions existing on the A550 at Gladstone Way, Hawarden; what representation about it he has received from the local authorities concerned; if he will sanction the installation of 30 mile per hour repeater signs; and if he will make a statement.

The hon. Member wrote to me on this matter in April but otherwise I have received no representations. I am aware, however, that Flintshire County Council, which is the authority responsible for speed limits on this principal road, has been approached on a number of occasions.The erection of repeater 30 m.p.h. traffic signs is expressly prohibited by the Traffic Signs (Speed Limits) Regulations and General Directions, 1969, where, as on this road, there is a system of street lighting with the lamps not more than 200 yards apart. The lamps themselves should provide a sufficient indication to drivers that the road is subject to a 30 m.p.h. speed limit.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the final cost of the Binney and Partners study, Dee Estuary Scheme IIA, published in 1971.

There is nothing I can add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 29th April. There are still some outstanding items of expenditure to be brought to account, and the final cost will not be known for some time.—[Vol. 816, c. 194.]

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set out the hospitals in Wales he has visited officially between July, 1970, and July, 1971, and the dates on which these visits were made.

The Minister of State, who under my overall direction has special responsibility for hospital services in Wales, has paid 21 official visits to hospitals in Wales during the period in question.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that the measures contained in the substantial consequential legislation required by any decisions to accede to the Treaty of Rome, are, together with their likely consequences, given the fullest publicity prior to September next.

No, I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 17th June.—[Vol. 819, c. 643–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated number of British civil servants by various grades who will be required for the various Common Market authorities should the United Kingdom join the Communities.

It is not yet possible to give an estimate of the number of British civil servants who might be employed within the institutions of the European Communities in the event of the United Kingdom's accession to the Treaty of Rome.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the cost to date of, respectively, production, distribution and advertising the documents called, "Fact-sheets on Britain and Europe", and similar costs for the popular edition of the White Paper on the European Economic Community.

The estimated cost of producing the Factsheets to date amounts to £203,250 and distribution has cost a further £52,600. The corresponding amounts spent on the short version of the White Paper are £170,000 and £21,000, respectively. Advertising for the Fact-sheets has to date cost £86,150. No separate advertising has been undertaken for the short version of the White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether he will make a statement giving the full and complete details, as supplied to the hon. Member for West Ham, North in his letter to him sent on 7th July, 1971, showing to what extent the present practices whereby Parliament has power to reject rules, regulations, and decisions of the Executive will be abolished when Great Britain signs the Treaty of Rome;(2) whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the two communications sent to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North on 16th June and his reply thereto on 7th July, 1971, regarding the restrictions placed upon the British House of Commons in the event of Great Britain entering the European Economic Community;(3) whether he will make a statement, with examples, relating to the subject matter of his letter to the hon. Member for West Ham, North, sent on 7th July, 1971, which stated that under Article 18 of the Treaty of Rome regulations and decisions are binding in their entirety and that the House of Commons would have to refrain from taking any action which would be inconsistent with these regulations and decisions;(4) whether he will make a statement, with examples, on the subject-matter of his letter to the hon. Member for West Ham, North, on 7th July, 1971, which stated that the House of Commons would only be able to amend or alter legislation which the Government put forward to give statutory effect to matters connected with the European Economic Community and its directives so long as such changes which the House of Commons made were not such as to frustrate the required result of any such directives;(5) whether he will state in respect of each of the five categories of instruments, namely regulations, directives, decisions, recommendations and opinions made under the Rome Treaty and the European Economic Community rules, which are binding, and to what extent the House of Commons could move for alteration, amendment or rejection of each of them.

It would not be appropriate to publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the communications referred to, but my letter of 7th July explained that under Article 189 of the European Economic Community Treaty Community regulations and decisions are binding in their entirety. In consequence, if Parliament approves a treaty providing for British membership of the European Communities, it would have to refrain from any action inconsistent with this treaty. In relation to directives, which are binding as to the result to be achieved, my letter explained that Parliament should be free to take action, including amending or altering legislation presented to give effect to them, so long as the action does not frustrate the required result of the directive.Community recommendations and opinions, are, according to Article 189 of the European Economic Community Treaty, without binding force, and, therefore, could not affect Parliament's freedom of action.If we join the European Communities we shall be fully represented in its institutions and able to influence Community legislation in its formative stages.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the publication of the Himsworth Committee Report on CS Gas.

September.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will seek powers to prevent persons obtaining legal aid for frivolous cases and to prescribe the minimum inquiries that should be made before legal aid is granted; and if he will make a statement.

The grant of legal aid in criminal proceedings is a matter for the courts and, while my right hon. Friend is keeping the scheme under review, he has no reason to think that legal aid is in general being given in the absence of sufficient grounds for doing so. Provisions as to the inquiries which must be undertaken are contained in Regulations made under Section 83 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why police officers on duty in the Members' car park have been stopped from moving vehicles to allow hon. Members to drive away.

There has been no change in police practice. I understand that on the particular occasion which the hon. Member has in mind the request for assistance was made to a police officer on gate duty who is not permitted to leave his post.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many appeals there were, in the latest year for which figures are available, against convictions for exceeding weight regulations for heavy vehicles; and how many were successful.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many owners of heavy vehicles were prosecuted, in the latest year for which figures are available, for contravention of weight regulations; and what was the average fine imposed.

I will write to my hon. Friend when the information is available.

asked the Prime Minister if the public statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Press Association on 4th July on selective employment tax and prices represented the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the security arrangements for his personal safety; and if he will make a statement.

All appropriate arrangements are made, although it is not the practice to disclose details.

asked the Prime Minister how many letters he has now received on the subject of unemployment since he took office.

I have received a number of letters on this subject. The great majority have been concerned with individual cases, which I have asked the Department of Employment to follow up.

asked the Prime Minister how many letters on matters for which he is responsible he received on 19th July.

About 340.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Expo 1971, now being held in Northern Ireland.

I have at present no plans to do so. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry visited the exhibition on 18th June.

asked the Prime Minister which Departments are concerned with the provision of mortgages for house purchase.

Policy questions affecting the provision of mortgages for house purchase by building societies, local authorities and other agencies are jointly determined by my right hon. Friends the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales.

asked the Prime Minister whether it is intended that the European Parliament, to be enlarged in the event of Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community, will have power only to legislate upon and provide or withhold money in matters covered by the Treaty of Rome, or to have powers over foreign affairs, defence or other matters not covered by the Treaty of Rome.

The powers of the European Parliament are restricted to the areas covered by the Treaty of Rome, and current proposals for increasing the powers of the Parliament relate to subjects covered by the Treaty of Rome.

asked the Prime Minister how many letters he has now received suggesting alternative policies to British entry into the European Economic Community.

Very few, and none which offers a practical and acceptable alternative.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will place in the Library the text of his Ministerial broadcast on Thursday 8th July.

I did so on 14th July.

asked the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the public speech which he made at Bexley on Saturday, 3rd July, on the national economy.

I did so on 7th July.

asked the Prime Minister if he is aware that the pictorial diagram of trees showing the growth of exports on page 10 of the shortened version of the White Paper, Command Paper No. 4715, is misleading in that the area of the larger tree on the left-hand side is about 40 times that of the smaller one, whereas the true comparison is 6·3 times, and should be shown by single lines of equal width as on the previous page; and if he will have the diagram corrected.

This is a simple pictorial diagram illustrating the comparative figures of the growth of exports which are printed over the tree symbols. The comparison of growth is made by height and not by the area of the tree symbols, which are of irregular and different shapes.

asked the Lord President of the Council how many Members drew the full £500 secretarial allowance in 1969–70; how many Members have drawn the full allowance during the current session; how many Members drew part, but not all, of the allowance in 1969–70 and in 1970–71; and how many Members have drawn none of the allowance.

:[For this allowance the accounting period is from 1st October to 30th September. Of the 467 Members who served from 1st October, 1969, to 30th September, 1970, the General Election intervening, 328 Members claimed the full £500 secretarial allowance for this period; 135 Members claimed sums up to £500; and four Members made no claim.For the period 1st October, 1970, to 31st March, 1971, the latest half-year, of 624 Members serving throughout the period, 546 have so far claimed at least £200 in respect of secretarial allowance; 48 Members have claimed lesser sums; 30 Members had not, on 1st July, yet made any claim.]